Easel stand



Aug. 17, 1948. E. J. FoRsYTH EASEL STAND Filed Oct. 8, 1945 MAM /4 44A Patented Aug. 17, 1948 Edmond J. Forsyth, Chicago, In.

Application October 8, 1945, Serial No. 620,999

7 Claims. (01. 248-34) This invention relates to improvements in easel stands and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The easel stand with which the present invention is more especially concerned comprises a panel-like display member and a prop or brace member adapted to be detachably connected to the back of the display member for holding it in a substantially upright position upon a suitable supporting surface.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an easel stand of simple construction with the display member carrying at the back thereof means whereby the associated prop or brace member maybe quickly and easily applied to and removed from the display member without the use of tools of any kind.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an easel stand of this kind, a novel recess arrangement at the back of the display member, each having a side and an end entrance opening which readily permits the detachable engagement of certain parts of the legs of the prop or brace member that supports the display member in a substantially upright position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel display member for the stand, composed of laminated adhesively united pieces of sheet material, with certain of said sheets bein formed to provide undercut recesses in the back of the member, each having an end entrance and a communicating side entrance that open through the back of the display member.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others, together with the advantages thereof will more fullyappear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing: Y

Fig. l is a perspective view of an easel stand embodying the preferred form of the invention, as viewed from the back or rear thereof.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation on an enlarged scale showing a fragment of the back of the display member of Fig. 1 and the undercut recesses there in, each having a side and an end entrance openi s.

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view through a part of Fig. 2 as taken on the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view through a part of Fig. 2 as taken on the line 4-4 thereof.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the sheet parts, at the back of the display member, when of a laminated construction, formed to pro- 2 vide a certain L-shaped opening therein later mentioned.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the sheet parts of the display arranged inwardly of the sheets of Fig. 5 and formed to provide a rec tangular opening therein later mentioned.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a certain prop or brace for the display member of Fig. 1 for holding it in a substantially upright position, with the legs of the prop or brace in substantially their normal parallel condition or position.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the improved easel stand comprises but two parts, namely a panel-like display member Ill and a prop or brace l l adapted for detachable engagement therewith for holding the same in a substantially upright position in use.

The display member, which as shown in Fig. 1, is of a rectangular shape and may be an advertising board, photograph or other article having a front display face. Preferably the member I0 is a laminated pack member made up of a'number of adhesively united sheets lZ-IZ of chip board, binder stock or other suitable material, as best appears in Figs. 3 and 4.

As shown, certain of the sheets l2a, spaced inwardly from the rear face of the display member,

are made with a pair of laterally spaced rectangular openings l3l3, one of which appears in Fig. 6 and the sheets I21) forming the rear face of said member are made with a pair of L-shaped openings M-M, one of which appears in Fig. 5. The L-shaped openings have substantially the same height and width dimensions as the rectangular openings and when all of the sheets l2|2a and [2b are adhesively united, the said openings l3 and I l register with each other so that each L- shaped opening forms side and end entrances Mia-44b for the undercut recesses l3a produced bythat part of the openings 13-43 covered by parts i5l5 at the inside corners of said openings ill-l4, The end entrances of said openings are directed outwardly in opposite directions, as best appears in Fig. 2.

The prop or brace member H is preferably made from a piece of wire bent into a U shape to include a pair of laterally spaced legs Iii-16 that are connected together at their bottom end by a cross or footing piece H. A galvanized wire having 0.120 diameter and known as S. A. E. 1015 well serves the purpose when the panel is of the order of ten by fifteen inches. Obviously, wire of other sizes and kinds could be used when the panel is of difierent sizes, if this were necessary. When the legs are in the normal position they are substantially parallel as shown, but as they are of a substantial length they have a lateral resiliency so that when sprung toward each other and released they will return toward normal. The legs could be initially non-parallel, if desired, as they could be sprung from normal and would function in the same way.

The upper end of each leg is bent downwardly and forwardly, and: then back upwardly to form;

an upwardlynpening u-shapedarmis atsaid end of the leg comprising the inner and outer arm parts I9 and 20 respectively. The upper endof the inner arm part i9 is connected to the up-- l per end of the associated leg and is connected at the lower end to the like end of the-associated outer arm by the bend best appearingin Fig.3. The generally U-shaped arms have a length approximating the length of the side entranceas:

formed by the L-shaped openings i i-445 in the backof :the member ID Normally the upper ends of the legsv iii-46.

have a spread somewhat greater than the distancebe-tween the outer ends of the-end entrances l4b!4b."

To apply the brace-- or 1 prop :l i to the display member IE3, the upper. ends of the. legs |6. are sprung toward each other so-thatthe arms l8-.-I 8 are spaced apart-'adistance equal to that. betweentheside entrance openings sitar-Ma in the back of the member 10, Saidarms are then insertedlengthwise through said side entrance openings and'when the pressure on said legs is released,.the upperendsof said legs spring backtoward their normal position. This will dispose the outer-parts 28*-2El of the arms i3l8 in the undercut'recesses Hid-43a and-will dispose the inner parts l9--l9 of said armsinengagement withtheouter face of said sheet parts [5-45. Thus the parts lQ-andfiil at the upper end of each leg will embrace thesheet parts H's-l5 andwill dispose-:the arms-snugly against the outer side edges ofthe recesses l3-l3. As the-upper ends laterallyspaced undercut recesses, each so cov-- ered in part as to leave communicating entrance openings alongone-side and one end thereof, said entrance openings along the ends of said recesses facing in opposite directions, and a member adapted to be detachably connected to the back of said display member for-supporting the same in a substantially upright position and including legs? having laterally resilient upper ends, an arm. having inner and outer portions connected'to the upper-end ofteach leg, said outer portions of said arms when the upper ends off'said legs are-sprung relatively-from a normal position a predetermined amount being insertable lengthwise through' the side-entrance openings of both recesses, said outer portions of said arms whemsa-idrupper ends;- of: said legs have been .re-

leased and spring back toward their normal position each disposing itself in its associated recess to be confined therein by that part of said means covering a part of said associated recess, with each inner arm portion engaged with the outer surface of said part of its associated means.

2,. The combination of a panel-like display member, means at the back thereof providing laterally spaced undercut recesses, each so coveredin-part as to leave communicatingentrance openings along one side and the bottom end thereof, said entrance openings along the bottom end of said recesses facing outwardly in opposite directions, and a member adapted to be detachably connected to the back of said display ,member'forsupporting the same in a substantially upright position and including legs having laterally resilient upper ends, which in a normal positionare spaced apart a distance greater than the distance between the side entrance openings for said recesses, an arm having inner and outer portions connected .to the-upper end of-each leg,

said .outer portions of said arms when theupp er ends of said legs are sprung inwardly toward each other. a predetermined amount being insertable lengthwise through the side entrance opening ,of

both recesses, saidouter portions of saidarms when said upperends of said legs have, been released .and spring laterally outward toward their normal position each-disposing itself, in its associated recess to be confined therein by that part of said means covering apart of said associated recess, with each inner arm portion en-, gaged with the outer face of saidpart of its associated means.

3. The combination of a panel-like display member, means atthe back thereof providinglat erally spaced undercut recesses, each so covered in part as to leave communicating entrance openings along one side andoneendthereoi, said entrance openings along the ends of said recesses facing in opposite directions, and a member adapted to be detachably connected to the. back of said display member for supportingthe same in a substantially upright position andincluding legs having laterally resilient upper ends, a U- shaped arm associated with the upper end of each leg and having-inner and outer arm'parts with the inner arm part of, each arm connected to the upper end of the associated leg, said outer parts of said U-shaped arms when the upper ends of said legs are sprung relatively from a normal position a predetermined amount beinginsertable lengthwise through the side entranceopenings of both recesses, said upperends of said legs when released springing back toward their normal position and disposing the outer part of each U-shaped arm in the associated undercut recessv in engaging relation with the inner surface-of that part of the display member covering a part of the associated recess and disposing theinner part of each U-shaped arm in engaging'relation withthe outer surface of said part of thedisplay member coveringa part of the associated recess.

4; The combination of a panel-like display member composed of sheets of laminated mate for the associated undercut recess formedbya part of said otherof said sheets adjacent said L-shaped openings and covering the remainder of said rectangular openings, and a member adapted to be detachably connected to the back of said display member for supporting the same in a substantially upright position and including legs having laterally resilient upper ends, an arm connected to the upper end of each leg, said arms when the upper ends of said legs are sprung relatively from a normal position a predetermined amount being insertable lengthwise through the side entrances for both recesses, said upper ends of said legs when released springing back toward their normal position and disposing each arm in its associated recesses to be confined therein by said parts of said other of said sheets adjacent said L-shaped openings and covering the remainder of said rectangular openings.

5. The combination of a panel-like display member composed of sheets of laminated material, certain ones of said sheets inwardly of the rear face of said member having laterally spaced rectangular openings therein and others of said sheets at the back of the board having laterally spaced L-shaped openings therein overlying marginal parts of the sheets beneath and which L-shaped openings provide side and end entrances for the associated undercut recess formed by a part of said other of said sheets adjacent said L-shaped openings covering the remainder of said rectangular openings, and a member adapted to be detachably connected to the back of said display member for supporting the same in a substantially upright position and including legs having laterally resilient upper ends, a U-shaped arm associated with the upper end of each leg and having inner and outer arm parts with the inner arm part of each arm connected to the upper end of the associated leg, said outer arm parts of said U-shaped arms when the upper end of said legs are sprung relatively from a normal position a predetermined amount being insertable lengthwise through the side entrance openings for both recesses, said upper ends of said legs when released springing back toward their normal position and disposing the outer parts of each U-shaped arm in the associated recess and disposing the inner part of each U- shaped arm in engaging relation to the outer surface of said part of said other sheets covering a part of the associated rectangular opening and disposing the outer part of each U-shaped arm in engaging relation with the inner surface of said part of said other of said sheets covering the remainder of said rectangular openings.

6. As an article of manufacture a. panel-like display member having at the back thereof an undercut recess covered in part by a portion at the back of the member and having substantially L-shaped side and end entrance openings communicating therewith.

7. As an article of manufacture a panel-like display member composed of sheets of laminated material, certain ones of said sheets inward of the rear face of said member having rectangular openings therein and other of said sheets at the back of the member having L-shaped openings therein so overlying parts of the sheets beneath as to form undercut recesses each having a side entrance and an end entrance in the rear face of said member.

EDMOND J. FORSYTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

